The function of the immune system is to protect an individual against infections and diseases. An immune response is how the immune system defends against any substance that appears to be foreign and harmful, such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Antigens are molecules that stimulate an immune response. Antigens are contained within cells or on the surface of cells, such as bacteria, or are a part of a virus. Normally, the immune system reacts only to antigens from foreign or dangerous substance. However, sometimes the immune system goes awry causing disorders and conditions, such as allergies and autoimmune diseases.
Allergies are disorders resulting from an active immune response reacting to a harmless allergen such as dust, pollens, pet dander, or food. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system reacts by producing large quantities of antibodies to attack the allergen. Allergic conditions are a major medical problem all over the world. Allergies are among the most difficult medical conditions to treat and eliminate. Allergies tend to critically influence the quality of life in affected patients, with both physical and economic repercussions. In North America alone allergies afflict about 50 million individuals and cost patients and insurance companies up to 10 billion dollars annually. Allergies are known to develop at any age and can be triggered by anything under the sun including the sun itself.
Autoimmune diseases arise from over stimulation of the immune system against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the immune system interprets the body's own cells or tissues as foreign and produce autoantibodies or immune cells that attack the cells or tissues of the body, which results in inflammation and tissue damage. As many as five percent of Americans suffer from some form of autoimmune disease, which includes lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Graves' disease, myasthenia gravis, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
From the perspective of immune function, allergies are the initial phase of immune over stimulation that are triggered from outside of the body, whereas autoimmune reactions are a late phase of chronic immune over stimulation that occurs within the body causing damage to tissue, glands, and organs. Thus, if the root source of these allergies are not found and corrected, then the allergies can eventually become chronic immune over stimulation and can transform into autoimmune disease.
Traditional western medical treatment for allergies includes; antihistamines and steroids treatment both of which offer only temporary relief from the symptoms for only few hours. Allergy shots are another method of treatment for allergic reactions. Allergy shots are usually performed over many years on a weekly bases with only minor improvements. Since allergy shots introduce to the body the same substances that the patient is allergic to, the possibility of an anaphylactic shock is authentic. This is a catastrophic reaction that can lead to a patient's death. To prevent this complication, patients receiving allergy shots always carry epinephrine injections.
Traditional western medical treatments for allergy are largely ineffective and of long duration, in addition they financially burden the population and the health care system.
Acupuncture techniques have been used to help safely attenuate allergy symptoms, but they are unable to completely eliminate them. One prior acupuncture system for the treatment of allergies used the ear (auricular acupuncture microsystem) as the lone treatment site for allergic reactions. In 1961 Paul Nogier of France introduced the auricular acupuncture microsystem with its “inverted fetus” presentation. Dr. Nogier eventually identified a specific point on the ear that he designated as the “Allergy point”. Nogier's allergy point is located at the most posterior part of the projection site of the metanephros. The metanephros is the embryologic remnants of the kidney tissue after fetal development. Attempts to use this particular acupuncture point to treat allergic reactions by many practitioners failed to yield any good results. Allergies were either slightly or only temporarily relieved or simply never responded to the treatment.
In general, there is a great need to address such an elusive medical problem and eliminate the high cost to patient, insurance companies and the health care system.